Malevolence
by Drew Ike Treboot
Summary: Duggras, werewolf and vampire hunter, hasn't seen his family in over ten years. But when a threat that he can't handle alone arises, will he have nobody else to turn to? He's strong, but not invincible. He's forced to gather as many men as he can to take on the greatest threat to mortal men and mer since the age of the Dragons. But what happens when he gets too close to the enemy?
1. Chapter 1: Unwelcome Guest

**A friend of mine gave me the perfect name for this story. I call it "Malevolence", which is the opposite of Benevolence. Thanks for the idea Jamie, you can see his work at TheGreatJabberyJamie. Anyway, I love writing this in my own words, it's just so much fun. I love you guys for sticking with me, thank you, and please enjoy and leave a review of what you think. Thanks!**

* * *

_Loredas, the 21st of Frostfall_

_Tolan is driving me absolutely insane. If I have to listen to his stories about hunting daedra one more time, I swear I might just break his neck and rip his head off. Nobody cares how many enemies you've killed Tolan! Not to mention the fact that he has terrible endurance and constantly needs to stop and rest. We should have been able to reach Riften in a day, two at most… We're on day 3. The idiot keeps getting lost or runs into an angry animal of some time. If I had gone by myself, I could have been to Riften, found some men to join us, and been halfway to Windhelm by now. But no, Mr. "Pray for Stendarr's Mercy" just has to be old and slow. Luckily, the stable owner in Riften owes me a few favor, so we can grab a couple of horses and not be slowed down so much._

_I've looked into it, and it looks like there are a few candidates for recruiting. First, there's Mjoll the Lioness, she's an old family friend and I'm sure she'd be happy to help. Also, there's a mercenary spellsword currently staying at the Bee and Barb. His name is Marcuri and I've heard a lot of good things about him. Besides Mjoll, he's the most promising one on the list._

_Other than those two, it looks like the best we can do here is a few typical sellswords. Just a bunch of drunken idiots looking for a fight and some coin. Sadly, those are the type of mercenaries that flee at the sight of something like a vampire. But, maybe I'll get lucky. We'll be in Riften by the morning. Wish me luck._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Make sure to ask Mjoll about Luna_

_Other note to self: Pick up plenty of smithing supplies to use to make armor and weapons for the group._

* * *

As they approached the city, Duggras turned to Tolan and said, "Remember, I talk to the mercenaries. You? Just grab a drink and shut up. Got it?"

Tolan sighed. "Fine. It's not like I really care."

Duggras smirked at the Vigilant. "I'll do my best. But, if I had to guess, I'd say we'll only get two, maybe three men to join us. Four if we're lucky."

Tolan raised a brow at the man walking next to him. "Why so few?"

Duggras chuckled. "Most mercenaries are about as brave as a deer being chased by a hunter when it comes to dealing with enemies like vampires. The majority of them would most likely soil their trousers and run away screaming before they ever drew their sword against the undead."

Tolan looked at him curiously. "Really? Men can be _that _cowardly?"

Duggras nodded. "Back at the fort, when we get new recruits, Isran has me test them by shifting in front of them. Those who show fear or run fail. However, if you hold your ground, you pass and you're allowed into the Dawnguard. I just might do the same to these men as a test. Any objections?"

The Vigilant shook his head. "I guess not. As long as you aren't killing the ones who run."

Duggras chuckled at him. "No promises."

* * *

Duggras walked up to the nearest guard as soon as they entered the gates of Riften. "Excuse me, do you know where I might find Mjoll the Lioness and a mercenary named Marcurio?"

The guard nodded his head. "Mjoll lives in that house right there, near the gate. As for Marcurio, I think he's that little Imperial fella that's always in the Bee and Barb. His usual seat is just inside the door that leads to the market. Sound like you're looking for mercenaries, right?"

Duggras nodded. "I am. Tolan, go and get a few drinks at the inn."

Tolan shrugged at his counterpart. "Alright."

The guard continued. "If you're looking for reliable mercenaries, there's a couple of guys that got into the Bee and Barb last night. A big Orc fella and a Khajiit that he "convinced" the guards to allow into the city. If I had to pick a group out of the mercenaries at the Barb right now, I'd pick those two and Marcurio. Good luck."

Duggras handed the guard a bag of coin. "Thank you. What's your name?"

The guard happily took the coin. "Name's Rolan. By the way, if you need an extra man, give me a shout. I'd rather do anything than stay in this place."

Duggras winked at the guard and shook his hand. "I'll keep you in mind."

As he entered the inn, Duggras could see that the tavern was filled with several groups of shady looking men and others that were heavily armed. "Mercenaries… I wonder why there are more than usual."

* * *

Duggras walked up to the bar and found Tolan draining a large tankard of mead. When he saw him, Tolan greeted Duggras, his voice slurring, "Hey buddy! How're you?"

Duggras sighed at the man. "You're drunk, aren't you?"

Tolan nodded. "Maybe just a little."

Duggras shook his head and removed his helmet, placing his helmet on the bar. He ran a hand through his short hair and turned his attention to the Argonian woman tending the bar. "Hello Keerava."

Keerava looked up from the glass. "Do I know you?"

Duggras grinned at her. "Does the name Wolf-Heart ring any bells?"

The barkeep nodded. "Yeah. It's a well known name in the Rift. It was a family that lived on a farm not too far from the city. It was Takére, Selina, and their four kids. After their parents' deaths, the four went their separate ways. There's Luna, Natére, Tiris, and…" The woman's eyes went wide as she looked at him, "Duggras?"

He nodded at her and smiled. "It's good to see you again Keerava."

The Argonian woman quickly walked around the bar and embraced the large Nord. "Nobody's seen you in over ten years. Luna never stopped looking. She was actually here until recently. Now, she's with your brothers in Whiterun."

Duggras' eyes went wide. "They're all in Whiterun?!"

Keerava stepped back and nodded. "Luna lived here until a few weeks ago. She was staying with Mjoll. I think you should go see them after you leave Riften."

Duggras nodded quickly. "I plan to. In the meantime, I'm looking for a man named Marcurio."

Keerave turned and pointed to an Imperial sitting on a bench next to the door. "That's him. I hope you've got the coin to hire him. Otherwise, he won't even look at you."

Duggras reached into his bag and pulled out a large bag of coin. "Way ahead of you."

Duggras walked across the bar and took a seat on the bench, next to Marcurio. The spellsword looked at him curiously and asked, "Can I help you?"

Duggras nodded at him. "I hear that you're a rather talented spellsword. That true?"

The Imperial chuckled at him. "Talented? I'm one of the best there is. I may even be the best one in Skyrim."

Duggras chuckled at him. "I'd like to hire you. Me and some friends are going to hit a vampire den. You man enough for it?"

Marcurio scratched his chin. "Sounds risky… I tell you what, double my usual fee and I'll join you."

Duggras dropped a large bag of coin in his lap. "Will that cover it?"

Marcurio nodded. "You sir, have just hired yourself a spellsword."

Duggras stood from the bench and handed the man a note. "Meet us at the Bannered Mare in Whiterun. It'll take us a while to get there, so I've added some extra coin for you to stay there for a while."

He began walking back towards the bar when he heard a rough voice call out, "Hey, Mister Muscles!"

Duggras turned around to see a large Orc staring at me. He pointed at himself and asked, "Me?"

The Orc nodded at him and gestured to the seat next to him. "Take a seat."

Duggras shrugged and walked over to the table, carefully taking his seat. "Can I help you?"

The Orc nodded at him. "The name's Thadron. My friend here is Qa'Nal."

The Khajiit across from him bowed his head. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my large friend."

He looked over the two, seeing their impressive stature. "How can I help you?"

Thadron downed the last of a bottle of mead. "Did I hear you correctly when you said that you were gonna hit a vampire den?"

Qa'Nal nodded. "Yes, I'd like to hear more about this vampire den."

Duggras grinned at the two. "Before I go on, how did you get into the city?"

Thadron chuckled. "Easy, I hit the guard at the gate with a rock."

He shrugged at them and nodded. "Alright. How much to recruit you two."

The two looked at one another and nodded. Qa'Nal turned his attention to Duggras and said, "Hiring both of us will cost you fifteen-hundred septims."

Duggras looked at him curiously. "That seems awfully cheap."

Thadron grinned at him. "We're not worried about the money. We just want to bash in the skulls of a few vampires."

* * *

Mjoll sat at her table reading when suddenly, she heard knocking at her door. She closed her book and placed it on the table. She stood and walked over to the door. When she opened it, she saw a tall, fully armored man who's helmet covered his face. "Can I help you?"

The man pulled off his helmet, revealing a man who's hair was cut short and his face covered in scars. "Hello Mjoll. It's been a long time."

The woman covered her mouth, her expression one of pure shock. She then quickly hugged the man tightly. "I've only seen one person of such unreal size. Duggras, where the hell have you been."

He returned the hug and smiled. "I'm sorry it's been so long. I promise I'll make it up to you. But, I have a favor to ask you."

The large woman puffed out her chest and grinned at him. "Anything you need."

Duggras handed her a bag of coin and a note. "Me and some others are going to hit a vampire den. We could use your help."

Mjoll grinned at him. "That's it? I thought it would be something difficult. Say no more Duggras. You can count on me. I'll meet up with you when the time comes. I'll start packing immediately."

Duggras nodded. "Bring a necklace that protects you against disease. You'll need it."

Mjoll chuckled. "I've dealt with vampires before. Now shut up and let me get to work."

Duggras smiled at her. "See you in Whiterun Mjoll."

* * *

_Sundas, the 22nd of Frostfall_

_Riften went even better than expected. Not only did Mjoll and Marcurio agree to join us, but I even found two others to join the group. A big, and I mean _big_, Orc named Thadron the Decapitator. His name says it all. Well, the battleaxe he carries also says it too. The other was a Khajiit named Qa'Nai. He's one hell of a shot with his bow. He showed us his skill not long after we left the city. Needless to say, I was impressed. I'm glad I found these two. With them, I think we actually might survive this._

_Also, Tolan, STOP READING MY JOURNAL OR SO HELP ME, I WILL RIP OFF YOUR ARMS AND BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH THEM! It's bad enough that I had to carry your drunken ass to our campsite. The fact that I could only get us one horse just makes it even worse. He seems to be more trouble than he's worth. But, sadly, there's nothing that I can do about it._

_Next stop: Windhelm_

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Keep an eye out for dragons and bandits. Those are the only major threats to deal with._

_Also, Mjoll, I know you're reading this too. I love you, but please stop. I trust you, but serously, not okay._

* * *

**I hope you like how I'm doing this. Tell me what you think please. Love you guys!**


	2. Chapter 2: Friendly Faces

**This one's a bit short, sorry. Next chapter makes up for it though. Please enjoy and tell me what you think. I'm having a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you guys like it. This is the last chapter for this week. I'll be back soon. No new chapters this weekend, but the next one, I will post. Bye!**

* * *

_Morndas, the 23rd of Frostfall_

_I decided to stay in Riften another day to gather some supplies for smithing new gear. Also, I decided that I'd bring Rolan along. He's a well trained guard in a city full of crime. Bringing him was a good decision. He also knows the area we're traveling very well, which makes him even more useful. Plus, I like him. He's nice, generous, and a damned good cook. He turned a simple wedge of cheese, a rabbit leg, and some venison into one of the best stews that I've ever eaten. Also, he's pretty funny. The stories he has make everyone laugh. When he told us the true meaning behind him "taking an arrow to the knee", we laughed until our bellies hurt. Turn out that it just means that he got married. Sadly, I was the one who had to talk his wife into letting him join the group. The second I asked, she kicked me between my legs. But, I convinced her in the end._

_Tolan's finally sobered up. His head is pounding, but he'll be fine in a few hours. I made him my homemade hangover cure, Nirnroot tea. Delicious stuff. Anyway, we've started making our way to Windhelm. The horse became more of a means of carrying supplies than people. So, we still have to constantly wait on Tolan. Arkay, if you're out there, will you do me a favor and _please_ end this old bastard's life soon? I feel like every time he talks, I age a year. At this point, I feel like I'm well over a hundred years old._

_Also, I've decided to put a lock on this journal. Suck it Tolan. I like my personal thoughts to _stay_ personal, thank you very much. Anyway, the sun's coming up. We should probably get moving soon. See you tomorrow._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Go hunting tonight, remember not to shift._

_Other note to self: Stop making so many notes to self… I think I have a problem…_

* * *

Duggras closed his journal and locked the small leather strap around it. He placed the key in his pocket and stood. It was early in the morning. The sun was barely rising. He looked around to see that the only other one awake was Rolan, who sat outside of his tent, running a whetstone along his sword. Duggras walked up to him and sat in front of him. "Good morning."

Rolan smiled and nodded at him. "Good morning."

Duggras gestured to the whetstone. "Sharpening your blade?"

Rolan nodded. "Yeah. Can't fight with a dull blade, can I? Also, I wanted to thank you again for letting me join your little group. Lately, all I've done in Riften is chase down petty thieves and stand by the gate, just waiting for _something _to happen. It's too dull. Vampire hunting though? Now _that _sounds like a fun time."

Duggras chuckled at the young Nord. "You sound pretty confident."

Rolan placed the whetstone and his blade beside him. "Damn right, I am. One day, I'm going to die. But, that day is _not _going to be anytime soon."

Duggras smiled at him. "Maybe you should join the Dawnguard then. The pay is good, we've always got jobs to handle, and we look after each other. We need recruits, so what do you say?"

Rolan grinned at Duggras. "I say, where the hell do I sign up?"

After another hour or so, the rest of the group woke and packed up the camp. Marcurio yawned and walked up to Duggras. He cracked his back and asked, "Why are we starting so early in the morning?"

Duggras looked at the Imperial man and rolled his shoulders. "The earlier we get started, the more we can get done in one day. The more we get done in one day, the faster we can get to Windhelm. And the faster we get to Windhelm, the less we danger we face."

Marcurio shrugged. "Makes sense. So, which way?"

Rolan pointed toward a long, stony path. "North. If we follow this path, we should reach the geyser field by sunset."

Duggras nodded. "You heard the man, let's move!"

With that, the group hefted their packs and began following Rolan. Duggras grabbed their horse's reins and walked beside it, guiding it along the path.

* * *

After several uneventful hours of walking, the group came to a large fort. Thadron looked closely and asked, "What's this place?"

Rolan put a finger to his lips, silencing the Orc. He replied quietly, "This is Fort Greenwall. It used to be full of Stormcloak soldiers, but a large group of bandits took it over a few weeks ago."

Duggras looked at him curiously. "How many?"

Rolan shrugged. "I don't know for sure. But, there were at least thirty Stormcloaks in there a few weeks ago, so they would need at least forty or fifty men to take it as quickly as they did. I say we go around. It'll take a while, but it's a lot smarter than taking on that many bandits with so few men."

Duggras nodded. "Yeah. Everyone, we're going around. Keep low and keep quiet…"

Suddenly, an arrow buried itself in the ground next to Duggras' feet. He looked up to see a bandit calling out to his comrades, "Hey! We've got some live ones over here! Come on, let's g-"

The bandit was cut off when an arrow found its way into his throat, silencing him. Duggras turned to see Rolan with his bow ready. Rolan looked at him. "So much for sneaking."

Thadron turned to the group, a look of excitement on his face. "Arm up! We've got a pretty big fight on our hands…"

Then, the bandits began pouring out of the fort and started charging at them. Duggras drew his sword and shouted at them. "Bring it on!"

* * *

Duggras wiped his blade on the cuirass of one of the fallen bandits at his feet. He looked around to see the rest of the group. The majority of them were emptying the pockets of the dead bandits and then piling up the bodies. When that was done, they simply lit the pile ablaze. Duggras walked into the fort and examined the fortifications. "Not bad. This place will do fine as a camp for tonight. It's late, so let's set up the tents and make a fire."

Thadron chuckled and gestured to the burning pile of bodies just outside the walls. "We've already got one."

Duggras rolled his eye at the Orc. "I mean a fire that's _not_ fueled by corpses."

The group then set up tents and placed their bedrolls inside. Meanwhile, Rolan set up a fire and began cooking a stew in a pot that sat just above the fire. "I wish we had some potatoes."

Mjoll chuckled at him. "You and me both. Potatoes are great when it comes to stew."

Rolan looked at her curiously. "Mjoll, you cook?"

She shook her head. "No, but Aerin does, and I've learned a few things from watching him."

Marcurio took a seat next to Mjoll. "So, Mjoll, what exactly do you d-"

Mjoll held up a hand, cutting him off. "Nice try pretty boy, but I'm not interested."

The Imperial man scoffed at her. "What makes you think that I _am?_"

Mjoll grinned at him. "The fact that you haven't stopped staring at my breasts since we left Riften."

His cheeks turned red and he scooted away from Mjoll. The whole group then began laughing at the poor man. Thadron took a seat next to him and put an arm around his shoulders. "It's alright boy. Some women are just not interested. Or, maybe it's because you're ugly."

The group's laughter intensified. Marcurio glared at the Orc. "Well you're not exactly beautiful."

Thadron nodded at him. "Yep. But when it comes to Orc standards, I'm gorgeous."

Tolan grinned at them. "I never thought you idiots would make me smile."

Duggras threw a rock into Thadron's chest and shushed him. "Quiet. There's a group of soldiers coming down the road. Looks like Stormcloaks."

Qa'Nal's ears twitched and his tail began swaying. "This can't be good."

Duggras shrugged. "Well, this is their fort. I'm guessing they saw the smoke from the bodies and decided to see what was going on. Everyone just stay quiet and let me do the talking."

After several minutes, the soldiers finally made their way up the road and to the fort. When they reached the gate, Duggras nodded at them. "Hello boys. What can I do for you?"

The man in front, who Duggras assumed was the captain, looked at the smoldering pile of bodies and asked, "You the one who did this?"

He nodded at the soldier. "Yep. Me and my boys accidentally caught their attention, so we took them out."

He looked at Duggras curiously. "How many of you are there."

Duggras grinned at him. "Six."

The captain's eyes went wide. "Six?! Did you have more to begin with?!"

Duggras shook his head. "Nope. We had six at the start of the fight and we have six now."

The captain looked at him in awe. "How could six men have possibly taken the entire fort?"

From his seat at the campfire, Thadron shouted, "It's called skill. Something you and your boys clearly lack."

Duggras shot him a glare. "Shut up."

The captain looked passed Duggras and at Thadron. "What did that pig-faced Orc just say?"

Thadron grabbed his axe and stood. He walked up to the gate, only for Duggas to block his path. "What did you just call me?"

The Stormcloak chuckled at him. "I called you pig-faced. Do you have a problem with that?

Qa'Nal quickly stood and rushed over to hold back the angry Orc. "Don't Thadron, it's not worth it."

The soldier scoffed at them. "You've got one of those cats with you as well?"

Qa'Nal frowned, but retained his composure. "Calm yourself my friend."

The captain nodded. "Yeah, listen to the fur ball. Calm down."

Qa'Nal then sighed. "You know what? I changed my mind. Thadron, cut his head off."

Quicker than Duggras could stop him, Thadron raised his axe high and brought it down, cleaving the man's head off. "Die!"

Duggras looked at the group of soldiers to see that their numbers were greater than he expected. He drew his sword and sighed. "Shit…"

* * *

**Hmmm… Stormcloaks plus an Orc and a Khajiit… What could possibly go wrong?! Review or send me a Pm telling me what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3: Progress

**Today's a twofer. Two stories with a new chapter today. Also, I noticed that I mislabeled the chapter names in Benevolence, so I fixed that. Thanks for making Malevolence kinda popular. It makes me very very happy. As usual, please review after reading, send me a PM with your thoughts/ideas, and please favorite and follow. If you want, even tell your friends about my work. It helps me out a lot and I'd really appreciate it. Love you guys. ONWARD!**

* * *

Duggras tightly gripped his arm, putting pressure on the deep gash across his bicep. Blood seeped through his fingers as he held his arm. He looked around to check on the group. Besides him, the only other injury was on Thadron, who had several cuts on his torso but seemed completely unaffected by them.

Duggras walked up to the group and asked, "Does anybody know how to use a healing spell? Or have any potions?"

Mjoll nodded at him and searched through her bag. She pulled out a tall potion with a wide base and a thin neck. She stood from her place next to Thadron and walked over to him, carefully handing him to bottle. "Here you go. It's a strong one, so the taste isn't very good."

Duggras nodded and took the potion from her. He bit the cork and pulled it free from the bottle, opening it. He put his lips to the potion and quickly downed it. He coughed heavily when he pulled the bottle away. "Dear gods... That was awful."

Mjoll chuckled at him and shrugged. "I warned you."

Duggras looked at the wound on his arm to see it quickly scab over and the skin knit together about half way to healing completely. It wasn't complete, but for Duggras, it was close enough.

He looked across the camp at Thadron and quickly walked up to him. Thadron looked up at him and grinned. "That was one hell of a fight, eh Duggr-"

Duggras cut the Orc off when he drove his steel boot into his severely wounded and bleeding chest. The Orc shouted in pain as his wounds split open. "Are you TRYING to get the whole group killed?!"

Thadron held his chest as the rest of the group either helped him up or stood between him and Duggras. "What?"

Duggras snarled at him. "Your idiocy almost got us all killed! If you had just ignored them, they would have just gone on their way! All we should have done was packed up our things and set up camp outside the fort's walls!"

Thadron stood and wiped the blood off of his chest. He looked at the ground and spit on one of the Stormcloak corpses. "Fuck you. The bastards deserved it."

Duggras sighed at him. "That may be true. But we didn't have to kill them. We shouldn't be risking ourselves before we even reach our destination."

Thadron crossed his arms across his chest and nodded, not even minding the blood dripping down his chest. "Yeah, you're right. It won't happen again. I just can't stand these racist pigs."

Duggras nodded at him and tossed him a roll of bandages from his pack. "In that case, when we reach Windhelm, you all set up camp next to the stables while I go in. Last thing we need is another conflict like this. Agreed?"

The group replied in unison, "Agreed."

Duggras wrapped his arm with another roll of bandaging and nodded at them. "Okay, now, rest up. We'll leave in a few hours. Also, somebody help Thadron patch himself up..."

* * *

_Tirdas, the 24th of Frostfall_

_Sometimes I feel like in the intelligent person near me. The stupidity Thadron and Qa'Nal showed last night was way too risky. We stayed up way too long finishing up, causing us to lose time and strength on a fight that could have been avoided. I'd almost consider getting rid of them, but I'll need all the help that I can get. Plus, they're damn good fighters._

_In other news, I'm kind of getting used to Tolan. Minus his prejudice against my kind, he's actually not that bad. Surprising, isn't it? He's actually got some good stories. Sure, his ones about his hunts are boring, but the ones from when he was you get are actually pretty amusing. He even has some funny stories about Isran. Who would have thought that Isran once had "a night alone" with a rather well endowed Khajiit woman? Then again, so have I, dogs and cats CAN get along after all. He he he._

_The battle last night resulted in two injuries. I've got a pretty nasty hit on my left arm from a guy who got a lucky hit in with his greatsword. He got me pretty deep, but I should be fine. The other is on Thadron. He got his chest cut up at the very beginning of the fight, and yet he still managed to keep fighting. He even took out the most Stormcloaks. I may have been born in Windhelm and raised in the Rift, but in no fan of the Stormcloak Rebellion. They're nothing but a bunch of racist pigs with no honor or respect with a leader who desires nothing but the throne of Skyrim. They fight dirty and have no consideration for the rules and conducts of war. If not for the Dawnguard, I just might have joined the Imperial Legion. But my conflict lies elsewhere._

_Anyway, the Stormcloaks are pigs. I've been offered positions in their army several times, but I hold my father's beliefs. So, when it comes to Ulfric and his so called "righteous rebellion", he can go fuck himself._

_We also decided to stay at the fort and rest up for a few more hours. We should reach Windhelm in about two days. Hopefully we won't run into any more problems._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Keep an eye on Qa'Nal and Thadron_

* * *

Duggras woke up just as the sun was rising. Because the battle the previous night had taken so long, he had only gotten a few hours of sleep. Not that he really needed much, but he was still agitated.

He exited his tent to find that the everyone else was still asleep in their tents. He grinned and thought of a "creative" way to wake them up.

He picked up a steel war axe from one of the fallen soldiers that littered the fort's courtyard and walked into the fort. After some searching, he exited the fort with an iron kettle in his hand. He walked up to the camp and slammed the war axe into the kettle again and again as he walked passed the entrances of each tent.

The occupants of the tents quickly came stumbling out of the entrances, all of then disoriented and confused. Rolan quickly stood and asked, "What in Oblivion is happening?!"

Duggras stopped banging on the kettle and grinned at him. "It's time to wake up."

He looked at Duggras with a glare. "That's not funny."

Duggras chuckled at him. "Yes it is."

Thadron crawled out of his tent and scowled. "How can you expect us to travel with good time when you wake is up at dawn every morning?"

Duggras shrugged at him. "Like I said, the earlier we get started, the more that we can get done. Now, pack up the camp. Let's get moving."

Several hours later, the group found themselves surrounded by pools of steaming water and geysers shooting out steam and hot water. Marcurio looked around curiously. "Uh, where are we?"

Duggras grinned at the spellsword. "We're in the geyser fields of southern Eastmarch. Watch out, those geysers are hot enough to singe skin."

Rolan looked at Duggras. "So, tell us more about the vampires that we're gonna have to deal with."

Duggras nodded at him. "Well, vampirism is caused by a disease known as Porphyric Hemophilia, more commonly known in Skyrim as Sanguinare Vampiris. It seems like nothing for the first 72 hours, but then, you slip into a deep coma and eventually die. Not long after, you will rise up as a vampire. The disease is contracted in one of four ways. One, being bitten. Two, being hit with their drain life spell for too long. Three, being degrades on Molag Bal's shrine..."

Mjoll looked at him, curious about his silence. "And the fourth?"

He looked at her, a solemn look on his face. "Being raped by Molag Bal himself while he's in his human form. He then will leave a drop of his blood on your forehead. Three days later from any of these methods and you're a vampire."

Sweat dripped down most of the groups' faces. Thadron sighed at him. "How exactly are we supposed to protect ourselves from contracting it?"

Duggras held up his hand, three fingers raised. "Three ways to do that. Have something that is enchanted to protect you from disease, have beastblood, also known as being a werewolf, or being an Argonian."

Qa'Nal couldn't hold back the grin that spread across his face. "How would being an Argonian or a werewolf help?"

Duggras smiled at him. "Both are immune to disease."

Marcurio chuckled at Duggras. "Well, you're definitely not an Argonian, and I don't see anything that looks enchanted on you. Does that mean you're a werewolf?"

Duggras smiled at him and showed him the ring on his index finger. "No. This is why I'm safe from them."

Tolan quickened his pace to walk next to Duggras. He whispered in his ear, "That ring prevents vampirism? I thought werewolves were immune to disease."

Duggras gave the Vigilant a sly wink. "They are."

Roland gave him a confused look. "Then what does the ring do?"

Duggras grinned. "You'll see soon enough.

Suddenly, an earsplitting roar echoed through the air. Duggras looked up and clearly saw the source. Flying high above them was a massive dragon with black and purple scales.

* * *

**Duggras just has the worst luck, huh? xD**


	4. Chapter 4: Don't mess with Momma

**This is the only chapter I'm posting this week. I'm sorry but I have to. This is the last one before Malevolence and Benevolence cross. Honestly, I'm not sure if I should make the crossing one story separate from the other two and go back to the other two when it's done, or just post it in the stories one by one, switching off depending on who's POV. Tell me which idea you like better. If you like the new story idea and coming back to the other ones later, also tell me what you'd like the title to be. As always, thanks for all your amazing support. Don't forget to read, review, favorite, PM me, blah blah blah, etc. Love you guys! **

* * *

_Middas, the 25th of Frostfall_

_We were forced to set up camp in a cave last night because we spotted a very large dragon flying overhead. I'm actually a little intimidated by her. Never before have I seen a beast of such gargantuan proportions. Not to mention her odd appearance. She has very long, curved horns and scales that were different from any other dragon that I've seen or encountered. Based on the black and purple scales, and the descriptions I've heard of dragons and the different categories, we're not looking at an elder dragon, ancient dragon, or even revered dragon. We've stumbled upon the nest of a legendary dragon. They're the oldest and most dangerous type of dragon. Not long ago, I actually watched her swoop down and pick up a mammoth. This encounter will slow us down greatly. I don't want to risk going up against something that dangerous, so we have to wait until she's gone before we can leave._

_The cave is small, but it'll do. It's got enough room for all of us and it hides us from the dragon's line of sight. Sadly, the damn beast is refusing to leave her nest. If she doesn't leave soon, we'll just have to make a run for it and hope we can outrun her. I just have the worst luck, don't I?_

_Anyway, it looks like there's some movement outside. Hopefully the dragon will fly far enough for us to leave. If not, well, I'll think of something._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Start carrying more crossbow bolts_

* * *

Duggras closed the small black book and placed it in his bag. He looked out the entrance of the cave to see the dragon circling high above them. "I think she knows that we're here."

Rolan looked at him curiously. "How do you know that it's a she?"

He pointed at the massive beast. "Her horns. On female dragons, they tend to be shorter and more finely preserved. If it was a male, its horns would be jagged, longer, and several would be cracked or broken."

Tolan stood from his spot in the cave. "How do you know so much about dragons?"

Duggras shrugged. "I may have run into a few in my time with the Dawnguard. But, nothing as big as her."

Thadron leaned back against the cave's wall and said, "Well, this is just fan-fucking-tastic. Stuck in a tiny cave with a dragon breathing down our necks."

Duggras nodded at him. "That's pretty much our situation, yes. If I had to guess, the only thing that's going to get rid of her is either another dragon or someone else provoking it. Until then, we're stuck. Unless someone wants to volunteer to distract it while the rest of us escape."

After nobody replied, he just sighed and sat down near the mouth of the cave.

After a few hours of uneventful waiting, something heavy hit the ground, causing the ground beneath the group to shake. Everyone quickly started walking towards the mouth of the cave when Duggras quickly stood and held up a hand. "Nobody… move…"

In front of him, sniffing and examining him, was the massive dragon that had been harassing them. He looked at the beast with wide eyes and swallowed hard. She sniffed him several times before exhaling heavily out of her nose.

Duggras blinked several times, not taking his eyes off of her. "Why can't I go one day without some kind of complication?"

The dragon then turned her head and looked at him with one of her massive eyes. A low rumble then started deep in her chest. Duggras was about to reach for his sword when the dragon quickly turned around and roared. Flying near her nest was a smaller dragon. She quickly raised her wings high and pushed them down, launching her into the air.

Duggras let out the air he hadn't realized that he was holding in. He turned back to the group and said, "Time to go, now!"

As soon as they stepped out of the cave, the smaller dragon slammed into the ground in front of them. A split second later, the massive dragon landed hard on top of the other, and ripped its throat out with a single bite. She then turned her attention to the group and let loose a thunderous roar.

The lot of them froze, standing and refusing to move. Duggras looked back at them. "Slowly start walking around her. Stay as far away from her as you can. No sudden moves. Just slowly make your way around her."

They nodded and followed his example. He backed as far back from the snarling dragon as he could and slowly began shuffling around the dragon. When he finally made it around her, he simply began walking backwards away from her. He nodded at the rest of the group and they followed. They had a difficult time keeping the horse calm, but they managed. When all of them were on the other side of the dragon, they all began running away from her, towards Windhelm.

* * *

Rolan walked beside Duggras. He looked back to see the black and purple scaled dragon simply sitting on the corpse of the smaller dragon, staring at them. When his eyes met hers she looked at him with curiosity, then simply turned around and flew back to her nest. "Why isn't she coming after us?"

Duggras looked at him and grinned. "We're no longer near her nest. She no longer sees us as a threat."

Qa'Nal looked at Duggras with curiosity. "Tell me, why is her nest so important that anything that comes near it is a threat?"

He looked at the Khajiit mercenary and shrugged. "It could be a few things honestly. She could just be very territorial, but if I had to guess, she has some eggs up there that she wants to protect."

Everyone looked at him with extreme curiosity. Tolan quickly caught up to him and walked beside him. "Dragons lay eggs? Makes sense I guess. How big are the eggs?"

Duggras just shrugged at him. "I don't know everything. Besides, nobody gets very close to a dragon's eggs and survives. I've never seen them and I probably never will. In the meantime, the lesson we learned was, don't piss off momma dragon."

Tolan chuckled at him. "So, are all mother dragons that aggressive?"

Duggras smiled at the Vigilant. "Aren't all mothers aggressive when it comes to protecting their young?"

Mjoll tilted her neck to either side, feeling the joints crack. "How far are we from Windhelm?"

Duggras smiled at her. "We should be there in just a few hours Mjoll. It's late though, so we'll probably arrive early tomorrow morning."

Thadron chuckled loudly. "Thank Malacath! I was getting tired of sleeping in caves! Finally, we'll be able to sleep in warm beds and drink plenty of mead!"

Qa'Nal laughed at his friend. "You already drink too much my large green friend. Why not just relax and read, like I plan to."

Thadron's smile faded. "You're no fun."

* * *

_Turdas, the 26th of Frostfall_

_We managed to get to Kynesgrove last night and decided to stay the night there. It was nice to have some good drinks and warm beds. We're not far from Windhelm now. We'll be there in just a few hours. What we'll do there, I'm not sure yet. Hopefully we'll find a few more recruits and supplies. Hopefully things will go well. The more people we get to join us, the better our chances of surviving are. I want to try and get everyone who joins us out alive. The last thing I need on my conscience is the thought of people that I got killed._

_The weather is looking rather well, so that shouldn't hinder us on our way to Whiterun. Now the only thing we have to worry about is wildlife and bandits. As far as I know, we won't pass any dragon lairs, so they shouldn't be a problem. An encounter with another one of them is the last thing we need._

_We'll probably be staying in Windhelm for a few days. Find our recruits, collect some supplies, and rest up for the rest of the journey. I want everyone at full strength for this. I also still have to fully brief everyone on what we're going to be up against. The worst thing you can be on a mission like this, is being unprepared._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Buy more inkpo-_

Duggras rubbed the quill's tip against the paper, seeing that no writing was produced. He sighed heavily. "Damn it…"

The group then made their way into the city, then headed directly for the tavern just inside the gates.

* * *

**HAHAHA! He ran out of ink trying to write inkpot. I think that's funny. See you next week guys, LOVE YAH. Also, I just wanna give a shout out to my friend TheGreatJabberyJamie for reading over my stories before I post them. Thanks for helping me out so much. Go check out his work, he's got a lot of talent and deserves to have it recognized. Ike out!**


	5. Chapter 5: Family Reunion

**Thanks for all of the new follows and favorites. I love that you guys are actually interested in the stories. Please keep reading, I really appreciate it. Without further a due, here we go!**

* * *

_Fredas, the 27th of Frostfall_

_Of all the people that I could have met here in Windhelm, I never would have expected to meet my family. Luna and Natére… I haven't seen either of them in over ten years. A decade of not seeing them… They look so different. Luna's blossomed into one of the most beautiful women that I have ever seen. I hate to think of how she spends time with men… And Natére… Damn he's gotten big. When I left, he only reached my chest. Now, he reaches just above my chin. He's my older brother, but I've always been the biggest. I missed them more than I thought… That reminds me, I probably shouldn't introduce Luna to Marcurio or Thadron. Talos only knows what those idiots might try._

_Last night, after I met up with a large amount of recruits, most of whom ran at the word 'vampire', Luna walked into the bar and tried flirting with me to get free drinks. When she saw that it was me… Her face lit up. The look on her face was one of pure happiness. I've only seen her smile like that one other time, when she saw what she was named after for the first time, a Luna Moth. And who did she lead me to? None other than Natére. I can't believe I ran into him. We used to be the best of friends. Now? I trust him about as much as I trust vampires. The things he's done… disgust me. What Luna and Tiris don't know is that, up until a couple of years ago, Natére and I stayed in contact through letters. He's not just a warrior, but he's also a murderer, a bandit, a rapist, a thief… He was such a good man when I last saw him. Then he became… I don't even know how to describe it. I love my brother, but after finding out all of the horrible things that he's done, whether they were for Luna and Tiris or not, I just don't think that I can trust him. _

_Katherine the Hyena… That fucking bandit bitch corrupted him. Has he made up for his sins? I'm not sure… I hope he will be able to someday. But, as far as I'm concerned, he's far from redeeming himself. Maybe I should help him take his first step though. If he helps me with my mission, maybe he'll get closer to redemption. I hope so. I would like to have my best friend back._

_Luna, my baby sister, has ended up being a member of the Thieves Guild… Ha! I always knew that little kleptomaniac would find her way into their ranks. Ever since she was little, she's had a habit of picking pockets and lifting valuables. I can't even count the number of times that I've caught her trying to steal from me. It's not the noblest of paths, but it's not the worst either. I'm happy she found a group where she feels that she belongs and is accepted. Maybe one day she'll even become the Guildmaster. She's certainly got the talent._

_What I can't figure out is why neither of them will talk to me about Tiris. Something is up, and I plan on getting to the bottom of it. in the meantime, I'll finish recruiting and try to get Natére to join us. Maybe I'll even talk him into letting Tiris come. But I refuse to let Luna come along. I'd never put my baby sister into that kind of danger._

_Anyway, I've got to go meet up with Natére and Luna for a drink. Hopefully it goes well._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Keep my friends away from my sister… Why did she have to turn out so pretty?_

* * *

Duggras sat down at the table, his siblings on either side of him. "Natére. Luna. How've you guys been? It's been a long time."

Luna nodded at him. "Thirteen years. It's great to see you Duggras."

He smiled at her. "You too Luna, I've really missed you. Why are you two in Windhelm?"

Luna looked down at her feet and giggled. "I stole Ulfric's sword and then had dinner with him. Natére made me return it and have the dinner as punishment."

Duggras stared at her for several seconds before bursting into laughter. "That's my sister for you."

Luna tilted her head at him, curiosity in her eyes. "Why are you in Windhelm Duggras?"

Duggras leaned back in his chair. "I'm recruiting people for an expedition. I need as many as I can get for what I'm up against."

Natére leaned in closer. "What might that be?"

Duggras looked at his brother. "Vampires. And a lot of them. I'm gathering troops, buying materials and supplies, making them weapons and armor, then hitting the bastards. Hard."

Natére dropped his mead bottle, it shattering on the floor, drawing the attention of several of the other patrons. "Vampires? Is that what you've been up to for all these years? Hunting vampires?"

Duggras nodded at him. "Yup. Joined up with the Dawnguard about ten years ago. Been hunting vampires ever since. I've gotten pretty damn good at it too."

Natére shook his head at his brother. "That's a very foolish career choice brother. Vampires are one of the most dangerous opponents that you can face. How do you plan on keeping your group from being infected?"

Duggras reached into his bag and dropped several gold necklaces onto the, each one with a dazzling ruby in the center. "These."

Luna took one in her hands and examined it, running her fingers over the intricate designs etched into the gold. "They're beautiful. How do they protect you from vampirism though?"

Duggras took one in his hand and smiled at it. "I enchanted them to protect their wearers from any and all diseases that might threaten them… Including vampirism. As long as my crew have these around their necks, the only thing they'll have to worry about is the vampires."

Natére nodded at him. "That's smart. Are your men prepared for combat with them? It's not like fighting normal enemies like bandits. You've got quite a fight coming up."

Duggras nodded at him. "I know how to train people to fight them. I've been doing it for a decade. If anyone can lead them in and get them out, it's me. I don't plan on losing any men to those beasts."

Luna flinched at his lasts statement. "Yeah… beasts…"

Duggras looked at Luna curiously. "Okay… So, how's Tiris?"

Natére and Luna looked at each other. Natére looked back at Duggras and said, "He's fine. He's living in Whiterun with me and the other Companions."

Duggras grinned at his brother. "Yeah, I've been hearing a lot about the Companions lately. You've been getting a lot done. I've even heard that you've got quite a few new members who show a lot of promise. Is Tiris one of them?"

Natére nodded. "Yeah, he proved himself and made his way into our ranks. I'm proud to call him my fellow Companion."

Duggras smiled. "That's good to hear. Luckily we're making a stop in Whiterun on our way to our destination. Maybe I can stop in and visit."

Natére shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea Duggras. Tiris is… rather busy."

Duggras scowled at him. "Okay, you two are hiding something about Tiris. What aren't you telling me?"

Natére sighed at him. "Nothing. Alright, you can stop in for a short visit. Just a short one."

Duggras nodded. "Alright." He finished his mead and said, "Well, I've got to go meet a few more recruits. I'll see you later. Oh, and Natére… We've got a spot for you. I'll interview you for it on the way to Whiterun. I want Tiris to go too."

Before Natére could protest, Duggras walked out of the inn. Luna looked at him, a worried look on her face. "Should we tell him?"

Natére sighed and shook his head. "No… We'll let Tiris tell him."

* * *

Duggras sat down at the table, across from the young Bosmer woman. She was the third Elf that he had interviewed, the others were a Dunmer man named Ethaso and another Bosmer, he was a man named Faldil. He'd chose to recruit both of the others, and thought he'd probably do the same with her. The Grey District in Windhelm was home to many Elves looking for work. When the pay was as good as what he was offering, they didn't care who, or what, they were up against. He looked the girl up and down, admiring her petite, yet muscular frame and scarlet red hair. He'd met a lot of Bosmer Elves, but this was the first one that he found himself attracted to.

Duggras smiled at her. "You look like a fighter. Care to tell me about yourself?"

The young Bosmer grinned at him. "My name is Gildii. As you can see, I'm a Bosmer."

Duggras nodded at her. "So, you and your friend want to join the group?"

She nodded. "Yes, she should be here any minute."

Duggras smiled at her. "Alright. In the meantime, tell me about what you can do."

Gildii smiled at him. "Well, I prefer light armor to heavy, I'm a talented archer, and I'm very talented to one-handed swords and even better when I also have a shield."

Duggras took note of her talents. "Anything else?"

Gildii leaned forward and winked at him. "I'm not too bad when it comes to 'activities' outside of combat either."

Duggras chuckled at her. "Is that so?"

Gildii put a hand on his. "Care for a demonstration?"

Duggras shook his head. "No, I'm convinced. Welcome aboard."

He held out a hand. She gladly took it and gave it a firm shake. "I look forward to working with you."

Duggras looked around. "So, where is your friend?"

Gildii began to speak but stopped when someone entering the shabby tavern caught her attention. "Oh, here she is."

Duggras looked at the door, seeing a dark-haired Redguard woman with a build similar to Gildii's walk in.

She walked up to him and said, "You must be Duggras. I'm Lebiné. I'm guessing that you want to hear my skills?"

Duggras nodded at her. "You guessed correctly."

She smiled at him. "Like my friend here, I'm an archer. I'm a damn good shot too. Other than that, I've got a lot of talent in swordsmanship and restoration magic. Plus, I'm fast."

Duggras looked at her curiously. "How fast?"

Lebiné grinned at him. "Faster than you, that's for damn sure."

Duggras chuckled at her. "I like your attitude Lebiné. I'd be honored to have people like you and Gildii join us. You know what we're up against right?"

She nodded. "Vampires. I'm not afraid of them. I even have my own necklace that is enchanted to protect me from contracting vampirism. I'm already well prepared for this mission."

Duggras jotted down their names and tossed each of them a large bag of gold. "We're staying here for two more days. Buy yourself a couple of rooms and a few drinks. The pay is ten-thousand septims once the job is done… If you live that is. I hope you're both ready for this."

Gildii giggled at him. "Oh, we're more than ready."

Duggras nodded at her. "My men are camped out on the other side of the bridge that leads to the main gate. The camp isn't small, you can't miss it. Meet me there when it's time to leave. Oh, and feel free to use some of that gold to buys some new weapons and armor."

Lebiné gave him a wink. "I look forward to working with you."

* * *

**Girls joining up… Wonder where this is gonna lead… If it leads anywhere that is. I don't know what I'm gonna do with them yet. Also, I have a plan for posting that I'm gonna try to keep up with. Malevolence on mondays, Benevolence on saturdays, and Broken Promises on Sundays. I'm gonna try to keep to this as best I can. Forgive me if I fall behind though.**


	6. Chapter 6: To Whiterun!

_Loredas, the 28th of Frostfall_

_I decided to make today our last day in Windhelm. I've gone though the list of potential recruits quicker than I expected, most of whom, as usual, ran at the word vampire. How does anyone expect to stop these vampire attacks on cities if nobody's willing to step up and fight back? It's like trying to win a war by asking your enemy to go away politely. It won't work! How can so many people be such cowards when the time calls for heroes? I guess I'll have to make due with what I have. So far I've recruited a total of nine men and women to join, not including me, Tolan, or my brothers. If in able to get Natere and Tiris to join, we'll be a group of thirteen. It's a good number, but I'd like to get at least two more to join up in Whiterun. Maybe I'll get lucky._

_Moving on, I talked Luna and Natere into traveling with is to Whiterun. Safety in numbers, right? I'm not worried about them, Natere can handle himself after all. Frankly, so can Luna. I wonder if Natere noticed that she has two ebony daggers strapped to each of her thighs... She's a lot tougher than she looks. I haven't seen her fight for myself, but to be honest, I'd like to. She's small, yes, but she's flexible, quick, and sneaky. Hell, when we lived on the farm, I once watched her wrestle one of our goats to the ground when she was just six years old. Sure, it was a small goat, but that's impressive to do as such a young age._

_I wonder if that's how she handles men at bars. I'd pay to see her whoop some drunken idiot's ass. I hope so, since she told me she got a job at the Bannered Mare as one of the barmaids. Apparently all of the barmaids there are rather attractive. Can't wait to verify that for myself. Hehe..._

_Anyway, when we get to Whiterun, that's where I'll be staying. I wonder if Hulda remembers me. We're around the same age and I remember playing tag with her when we were children. Father used to let us all play together when he went to visit Eorlund up at the Skyforge. Damn, I've got a lot of people I need to go visit, don't I? I need to go see Hulda, little Adrianne, and... Damn it, I hope Nazir doesn't still live there. He always talked about being wealthy. He also always asked people if they go to the cloud district very often. He always had the same rude answer too, "Oh what am I saying, of course you don't." To be honest, it REALLY pissed me off. Smug little bastard._

_It's been at least twenty years since I've been to, let alone seen, Whiterun. It's where we lived before my father built our farm out in the Rift. We moved there after my mother got pregnant with Luna because there wasn't enough space there. Tiris and Natere already had to share a bed, so we decided it was time to change where we called home. I hope that our old house is still there. I think it was called Breezehome. Rumor is that it now belongs to the Thane of Whiterun and his Housecarl. I asked Natere about it, asked who it was, but he just laughed._

_Well, I just finished packing up the last of the supplies I bought. Lots of ebony, steel, iron, leather, and enchanting equipment. I even managed to get my hands on some silver. It's best to be as well prepared as you can be, right?_

_Better pack up the rest of my things. It's about time to go._

_Duggras_

From the hallway, on the other side of his door, Duggras heard Luna ask, "Duggras, who are you talking to?"

_... Not to self: Stop thinking out loud._

* * *

Duggras placed the last bag onto the horse he had just bought. With the group growing, he had to buy another to carry their gear. He didn't mind, he had plenty of coin. He turned and led the horse to the camp nearby. When he arrived, he smiled at the sight of everyone sitting around the fire, smiles on their faces. "You all look like you're having a good time. What did I miss?"

Tolan smiled at him. "Well, while you were recruiting, we all decided to just do the best thing that we could think of. Drink and tell stories."

Duggras chuckled at him. "Sorry that I missed it. Okay, pack up everything. We're leaving soon."

Thadron stood and hefted his pack over his shoulder. "Last stop before we hit the crypt, right?"

Duggras nodded. "Yeah. Whiterun is the last city were going to stop in before we hit the vampire den."

Mjoll walked up to him and asked, "So, who'd you recruit from this city?"

Duggras nervously rubbed the back of his head, "Four, three elves, a Redguard woman and-"

Mjoll quickly pushed him aside. "Natere? Luna?!"

Luna smiled at the woman and quickly ran over, tightly embracing her. "Mjoll!"

Mjoll hugged the small girl close. "Sweetheart, what in Oblivion are you doing here?"

Natere walked up to the women and chuckled. "She stole Ulfric's sword. I dragged her back here to return it."

Mjoll pulled away from Luna and glared at her. "You did what?!"

Luna awkwardly smiled. "Surprise..."

Marcurio stepped forward, standing next to Duggras as they watched Mjoll scold Luna. "Hey, boss, who's the girl? I wouldn't mind getting to know her better. If you get my meaning."

Duggras stared ahead of him and threw his fist to his side, connecting with Marcurio's jaw. "That girl would happen to be my sister."

Marcurio slowly stood. "Ow... Was that really necessary?"

Duggras chuckled at the Imperial as he held his jaw. "Yes, yes it was. Now stop staring at my baby sister or next time I'm going to hit you with a brick."

Marcurio looked at him cautiously. "Wouldn't that kill me?"

Duggras raised a brow at him. "Want to find out?"

* * *

Duggras walked at the front of the group, Natere beside him. Natere looked at him and asked, "Why does it seem like you're quieter than usual?"

Duggras sighed and said, "I don't trust you Natere. Not after the things that you've done."

Natere looked over his shoulder, making sure nobody else could hear them. "Everything I did, I did for Luna and Tiris."

Duggras clenched his teeth. "What about those women you encountered when you were following Katherine? Was what you did to them 'for Luna and Tiris'?"

Natere glared at his brother. "That's not who I am anymore and you fucking know it. You have no idea how badly those memories haunt me at night. I wrote you those letters in hopes that you would be the one person who would forgive me."

Duggras scoffed at him. "We'll you hoped wrong, brother. You committed more atrocities in the few years you spent as a bandit than most do in their entire lives. I want to think that you've changed... But I've yet to see proof that you have."

"What would it take to show you that I'm not who I was anymore?"

"Join the group, and let Tiris come too. I want my brother and best friend back, Natere. This will be the first step."

Natere sighed at him. "Nothing else will suffice?"

He shook his head. "No. You need to make up for what you've done Nat. Otherwise, I won't be able to even think of you as my brother."

Natere looked up at the sky and frowned. "Fine. I'll join the group and bring Tiris too. Also, I'm not the only one who's made some bad decisions."

Duggras scoffed at him. "I've made mistakes, but I make up for them. And I've never done things as horrible as you have."

Natere looked down at his feet. "I hate myself for the things I've done. I hate that I was such a bad person."

Duggras nodded at him. "And you should. You're a long way from redeeming yourself, brother. Might as well get started now..."

"I know. Now can we not talk about it anymore? I hate being reminded of it."

"Whatever you say, Natere. Now, let's get to Whiterun. I wanna see my little brother."

* * *

**Sorry that this chapter is a little short. Like I said, I've got a new job and I'm kinda sick. And, honestly, I kinda have depression and I'm trying to deal with it at the moment. I hope you guys understand. Anyway, as usual, please help me out by favoriting and following my stories and telling your friends about them. If you do, that'd be great. Also, you guys don't seem to review much, but I would really like you guys to. Please leave one with your thoughts. I love you guys, bye!**


	7. Chapter 7: Warm Welcome

_Morndas, the 30th of Frostfall_

_Happy Emperor's Day. It's been a long time since I've heard anyone else say that. It's a bit of a forgotten holiday. Most don't know about it. It was the Emperor's birthday and was widely celebrated in all of Tamriel. Sadly, today was also the day that the Great War began, after Titus Mede II turned down the Thalmor's ultimatum. It's a shame so many have forgotten about it. If I didn't read so much, I probably wouldn't even know about it. Oh well, at least I know._

_Anyway, it's hard to believe, but thanks to Natere waking us up so early and pushing us as much as he did, we were able to make it from Windhelm to the planes north of Whiterun in just two days. I'm genuinely impressed. Normally it takes three or four days, but we did it in about half the time. It'll take us about another hour to reach the city gates, but I plan to get the group up an hour before sunrise, putting us at the gates just as dawn comes. That way we'll have plenty of time to settle in at the inn, get some supplies, and spread the word about the recruiting. We're lucky that we didn't encounter any trouble on the way here, that saved is a lot of time._

_The planes around the city are just beautiful. The fields practically glow in the sunlight. Now I remember why I loved it here so much, it's gorgeous. I can see the city from here. Even this early in the morning, before the sun is up, you can see lights radiating from the city. I understand why it's such a popular place. I just hope they'll allow my companions inside. I've heard that racism is very rare here. Let's hope that that's the case._

_I've heard a lot of great thing about this place. I really hope that they're true. The last thing I want is to have a bunch of racist assholes protesting against a few "non-normal" individuals entering their city. I swear, the ignorance that some people leave with is astounding. Trying to convince some Nords to trust other races is like trying to convince a mouse to trust a snake. These prejudice people are the reason that other groups are so hostile and distrusting towards the people of Skyrim. As far as many here are concerned, if you're not a Nord, you're some kind of animal. It makes me sick to my stomach._

_Also, these are the reasons why I tend not to trust others. Most often, when I get into a fight, it's because some overly zealous Nord is harassing or assaulting an Argonian or Khajiit who was just minding their own business. I'm starting to understand why a lot of Imperials call us Nords uneducated and violent. You can't really be offended by what's true, can you? That's why my loyalty lies with the Empire. I trust those ignorant, stupid, merciless Stormcloaks about as far as I can throw then... Actually, when I think about it, I could probably throw one of them a decent distance. Oh, never mind! You get what I mean._

_The sun is starting to rise. It's truly a beautiful sight. The tall grass glowing golden under the early morning light, the deer majestically bounding through the fields, and the streams and rivers glistening like diamond. I've always appreciated nature more than I did cities or towns. But, these scenery seems almost unreal, almost like a dream. I wish I could stay and watch longer._

_Well, time to wake everyone up and get moving. I hope the guards at the gate are friendly. Hopefully I don't have to "convince" then to let us in._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Buy last of needed materials from Adrianne and Eorlund._

_Note to self: Head to the Skyforge and ask Eorlund if I can use it to make some new weapons and armor._

_Note to self: Visit old friends. Damn I have a lot to do._

* * *

Duggras looked back as he led the horses to the stable and saw his men talking with one another, waiting for him to tell them whether or not they could enter the city. The stables were set up just outside the entrance to a large pair of ramps. He traced their path with his eyes and saw that they lead up to the city gates. "Whiterun… It's been such a long, time since I've been here."

After he tied up the horses at the stable and paid the stablemaster to allow him to keep his horses there, Duggras walked back over to the group and said, "Okay, I'm going to go see if everyone is allowed inside. So, Qa'Nal and Thadron, come with me."

Qa'nal looked at him curiously and asked, "Why?"

Duggras pointed to the gates above them. "I know for a fact that all races of Men, Bosmer, Altmer, and Dunmer are allowed inside, but I'm not sure about Orcs and Khajiit. So, I want you to come along to see if they'll let you in. If they do, we'll come back and tell the others and head inside."

The duo glanced at each other briefly, then nodded. Thadron began walking toward the ramps and shouted, "Well, then what are we waiting for?!"

Natére stopped his brother by putting a hand on his shoulder. "What about us?"

Duggras shrugged at him. "Well, you can come if you want. It really wouldn't matter."

Natére grinned. "Trust me, it'll matter. Come on Luna."

* * *

As they ascended up the ramps leading to the gates, Duggras made note of each of the lookout posts and garrisons set up along the way. "Several guards keeping watch, thick stone walls, a sturdy drawbridge, and massive gates that can easily be locked and barricaded. This city seems like it was built as more of a fortress than a trading hub."

Natére smiled at his brother. "They built it like this for two reasons. First, because the Companions aided in its design. Second, because of its location, it's common for a place like this to be raided. They built it like this so that people would stay away and so that those inside could live in peace."

Duggras chuckled at him. "That's very clever. It's a peaceful place that's easily defendable. I'd hate to be a soldier that had to assault this place."

As they ascended to the top of the ramps, they approached two guards who stood on either side of the gates. As soon as they spotted the group, one of them approached, holding up a hand to stop them. "Halt. State your business."

Duggras stepped forward and gestured to his followers. "My friends and I would like to stay at your inn and stay for a few days while we recruit members for a little expedition."

The guard looked passed him and examined them. "The Khajiit is with you?"

Duggras nodded. "Is that a problem?"

He readied himself to use force if necessary. After several seconds of silence. The guard nodded and said, "Not at all. Head on in."

Duggras smiled at him. "You really are accepting people."

The guard continued to examine the group until he reached Natére and Luna. "My Thane! Lady Luna! I'm sorry, I wouldn't have stopped you if I had known you were with them."

Duggras looked over his shoulder at his brother. "Thane?"

Natére shrugged. "Surprise."

* * *

Duggras and his group, now fully together, stepped into the inn. As they entered, the woman at the bar said, "Welcome to the Bannered Mare. Take a seat, I just stoked the fire."

Duggras removed his helmet and held it under his arm. "It's been too long, Hulda."

The woman looked at him curiously. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

Duggras smiled at her. He reached over the met one counter and poked her stomach. "Remember me now?"

Hulda looked at him with anger for several seconds until a look of realization spread across her face. She grinned at him and said, "I've only met one person as large as you and had the guts to tickle my sides. Duggras, where the hell have you been?"

Rolan raised a brow at Duggras. "Is there anyone that you _don't _know?"

Duggras shrugged. "What can I say, I'm a people person."

Hulda snickered at him and started wiping off the bar with a rag. "Well, what can I do for you, my over-sized friend."

Duggras smiled at her. "I need to rent eleven rooms for a couple of days."

Hulda sighed at him and shrugged. "Eleven rooms? I'm sorry, but I've only got six rooms available."

Duggras dropped a large bag of coin on the counter. "Done. Marcurio, you can be the one who sleeps alone, the rest of us can pair up."

Gildii quickly stepped up and stood next to him. "Mind if I share a room with you, boss?"

Duggras shook his head and smiled at her. "Not at all."

Gildii thought to herself, 'Yes, tonight, he's all mine.'

* * *

******Let's see how things work out for Gildii next week, shall we? I'll make that scene part of the beginning, after what happens during the day, and then do Duggras' Journal.**Sorry that this one is short, I had to make it short to fit in with what's coming. Thanks for reading and being so understanding about my situation. As always, please leave a review telling me what you think, tell your friends, favorite and follow, and if you want, check out my other stories. I'd really appreciate it. You can also PM me with your thoughts if you want. See yah next week!


	8. Chapter 8: Scarred

**This chapter and maybe the next one are going to be Duggras catching up with old friends. I'm also a few chapters ahead (in planning) and I've finally reached the part when you truly get to see Duggras' brutality. He's the gentle giant, but like most, this giant gets pissed when you provoke him or take from him. It's a while away but I can't wait for you guys to read it. Until then, please enjoy. I'm sick so I couldn't write Benevolence this week, but luckily I wasn't supposed to. Please enjoy the following smart assery from your (hopefully) favorite oversized Nord.**

* * *

Duggras stopped and looked up at the sign in front of him. "Warmaiden's, huh? Should have known Ulfburth would have named the shop after her. I wonder how she feels about this places being named after her childhood nickname?"

He felt good today. For the first time in weeks, he left his armor behind and decided to just wear clothes. He wore a simple green shirt with a black vest, which he left open. He had on long, black pants and leather boots. Duggras felt strange without the weight of his armor on him, but at the same time, he didn't mind.

Duggras then heard the familiar sound of metal striking metal and followed the sound. As he rounded the corner of the shop he saw a large forge workshop set up. There, in front of the anvil, hammering away at a white hot blade, was a very curvy Imperial woman. Duggras smiled at her and walked up behind her. When he was a few feet from her, he said, "Hey daddy's girl. Still being manlier than most women I see."

The woman grabbed the handle of the glowing blade and quickly spun around, pointing it at him. "What did you just call me, ice-brain?"

Duggras pouted at her and held his hands up, feeling the heat radiating off the blade. "Oh come on, Adrianne. I'm fairly certain that we both know that I've outsmarted you way to many times when we were kids for you to be able to call me ice-brain."

Adrianne's glare slowly faded and turned into a grin. "Arrogant as ever, aren't you, troll-boy? You may be a childhood friend, Duggras, but I'll still run you through if you call me that again. I _hate _being called daddy's girl."

Duggras smiled at her "Couldn't resist. You know, I've never really cared for that nickname."

She chuckled at him. "Everyone called you that because you're too big. You're the size of a troll, hence, troll-boy."

He rolled his eyes at her. "I know _why _they call me that, I just don't like it… How have you been Adrianne, it's been far too long."

The Imperial blacksmith nodded at him. "Indeed it has. Over twenty years since you've been in Whiterun, fifteen years since we've seen each other, and all you have to say is 'How are you'? You never were good with words."

Duggras stepped close to her and chuckled. "If I'm no good with words, then how did I get you to allow me to court you for six months when we were younger? Before you were with Ulfberth, I was all you ever thought about after we found each other when you took that trip to the Rift. I still remember all those times we would sneak around, meet up in Riften and-"

Adrianne quickly drove the head of her hammer into Duggras' stomach, knocking the wind out of him and silencing him. "One more word, and I promise that I'll take this hammer and knock out all of your teeth. Got it?"

Duggras hunched over and nodded. His voice raspy, he said, "Got it…"

She pulled her hammer away from him and grinned. "Good. Aren't you embarrassed that you just had the wind knocked out of you by a woman?"

Duggras slowly stood, holding his stomach. "Normally, I would be. But, due to the fact of who the woman is, no. Can we talk inside? I'd like Ulfberth to be present so he can save me if you decide to get mad again."

* * *

Duggras smiled as he entered the Bannered Mare. He had ended spending the entire afternoon at Warmaiden's catching up with the his childhood friends. Ulfberth looked very different than from what he did all those years ago, mainly due to his large beard. He was happy to see that they had ended up very happy together and ran a successful business. Not only had he decided to catch up with them and brief them on his mission, which Ulfberth asked if he could join, only for Duggras to refuse him because he didn't want to risk his friend's husband, Duggras also bought a large amount of smithing materials from the couple.

Adrianne had also wished him luck and even given him two quivers filled with ebony arrows and a pair of ebony bows, free of charge. Duggras thanked her for her generosity and called it a day after he left the shop, mainly due to the fact that he had lost track of time and the sun had started setting.

Duggras looked around the room, seeing most of his group around the large fire in the center of the room. He smiled at the sight of them. Some were swaying with their arms around each others' shoulders, others downing tankards of ale and singing along with the blonde bard.

He turned his attention to the bar and walked up to it, taking a seat on one of the stools in front of it. He looked at the innkeeper and smiled. "Hey Hulda, I see my friends are keeping you busy."

She smiled at him and nodded. "Indeed. That Orc fellow alone has bought five tankards. I'm earning a pretty profit from your little group."

Duggras nodded at her. "Speaking of profit, I'm running a little low on funds. Any ideas on how I can make some quick money?"

Hulda crossed her arms and grinned. "I don't know, do I?"

When she held out a hand, Duggras sighed at her. "Yeah, yeah, I get it."

Duggras pulled out a small pouch and dropped it in her hand. She put it below the counter and smiled at him. "I've got four options for you. You can either take up some bounties for the Jarl, which pays a decent amount, as long as you don't mind going up against a couple dozen bandits or a couple of giants. Also, you could head up to the Skyforge. Eorlund has been asking around lately, looking for someone to help him fill some big order he just got. He says he's paying based on the amount that you get done. If neither of those interest you, you can go to one of the farms around the city and see if any of them need help. Honestly, that doesn't pay too well. And, finally, you can talk to Saadia, grab an axe from her, and head outside and chop some firewood for me. The block is just outside. Head out the door and look to your right, you can't miss it. I'll pay you ten septims for each log you chop in half and bring to me."

Duggras lightly scratched his chin, noticing the stubble there for the first time, and nodded. "I need gold and I need to get it rather quickly. So, I'll go to Eorlund, finish work for him, then I'll come and chop wood for you."

The innkeeper nodded at him. "Sounds smart to me. Hope you get what you need."

Duggras turned around and looked over the drunken group around the fire. "Some people are missing."

Hulda pulled out a rag and started wiping off the counter top. "Uh, yeah. A couple of them called it a night about a half hour ago."

He turned his attention back to the woman. "Which ones?"

Hulda looked up, trying to remember. "Let's see. Three of them. That handsome Nord fellow, Rolan was the first to go." She began biting her lower lip. "What I wouldn't give to spend the night in his room."

Duggras snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Hulda, focus."

She shook her head and returned her attention to Duggras. "Oh, sorry. The next was that Khajii fella. Don't remember his name."

Duggras grinned at her. "His name is Qa'Nal. Who was the last one."

After a couple of minutes of thinking, realization struck her. "Oh! That pretty Bosmer with the red hair. What was her name? Gina? Gabby?"

Duggras chuckled at the innkeeper's confusion. "Gildii. She's the one I'm sharing a room with."

Hulda gave him a smug look. "Sharing a room with a rather attractive woman? Sounds like you've got a fun night ahead of you."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Just because a man and a woman are sharing a room doesn't mean that they're going to have sex, Hulda… It just usually does."

Hulda chuckled at him. "You're still such a smart ass."

* * *

Gildii sat on the chair set next to the single bed in the small room. She sat there, calmly polishing her cuirass. It was the only piece she wore that wasn't simple hardened leather. What she loved about this piece was that it was glass armor. It was her most precious possession.

While she polished her armor, she wore a simple silk nightgown that reached only just passed her hips. She had purposely chosen this revealing piece of clothing specifically because she knew it would catch the eye of the man she would be sharing the room with while they were in Whiterun.

Gildii had fixed her sights on the massive Nord ever since she had been recruited by him in Windhelm. She and Lebiné both agreed that a man of his size definitely had to be 'proportionate'.

Suddenly, the red-headed Bosmer heard knocking at the door. She stopped polishing the green and gold armor in her lap and asked, "Who is it?"

From the other side, she heard a deep voice say, "It's Duggras."

Gildii quickly stood and pushed her armor and bag under the bed, removing them from sight. "Just a second!"

She stood and slowly smoothed out her gown. She then grabbed the room's key, walked up to the door and opened it, smiling at the large man standing on the other side. He eyed her up and down and grinned. "Can I come in?"

Gildii quickly nodded and stepped out of the way, allowing him to enter. As soon as he did, she closed the door behind him and locked it. She walked over to the table beside the bed and placed it down. "Going to bed early?"

Duggras dropped his bag next to the chair by the table, sat on the bed and kicked off his boots. "No, I just thought I'd put away my things and relax."

Gildii smiled mischievously. "So, then you have nothing to do?"

Duggras looked at her curiously. "I suppose not. Why?"

She giggled at him. "Oh, no reason. What's in the bag?"

Duggras shrugged at her. "Just some new gear and smithing supplies."

She turned away from him and walked over to the bag. She bent over and opened it, pretending to search through its contents. Gildii looked back over her shoulder, only to catch Duggras eying her as she stood bent over in front of him. "Do you like what you see, big guy?"

He quickly averted his gaze, his cheeks slightly turned red, just enough to barely notice. "Um, I don't know what you mean."

She stood and walked over, standing in front of him. She looked down at him and smiled. "Don't think that I didn't see you."

Duggras looked up at her, feigning ignorance. "See me what?"

Gildii put her hands on her hips and chuckled. "You were staring at my ass, Duggras. Now, tell me. Did you like what you saw?"

Duggras grinned at her. "Maybe. What if I did?"

She bent over once more, until their eyes were level. She held her arms straight down and pressed her breasts together. "What about now?"

Duggras couldn't help but look down at the exposed cleavage that she was revealing to him. "I can't lie, I do."

The red-haired Bosmer giggled and sat on his lap, her legs on either side of him. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Duggras chuckled at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Why, Gildii, are you trying to seduce me?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. "Maybe. What if I am?"

Gildii then quickly pressed her lips against his, preventing him from replying. She moaned gently against his lips after feeling how soft they were. Duggras then ran his tongue along her lower lip, asking for entrance. She happily granted it and began moving her tongue with his.

Duggras tightened his arms around her waist and ran a hand up her back, making her shudder in his arms. He liked her reaction, so he pulled away from her lips and instead focused his lips on her neck, making her moan out loud.

He took the sounds she began making as her giving him permission to continue. So, he moved one of his hands to her stomach and slowly began running upwards. He kept going until his hand found her breast, which he then gently grasped. As soon as he did this, Gildii gasped and started biting her lower lip, trying to silence her moans.

She then began making moves of her own. She put her hands on his shoulders, beneath his vest, and started running them down his arms, which he happily held out behind him so that she could remove it.

Gildii then put her hands on his stomach and slowly started pushing his shirt up his chest. Duggras' eyes shot open and grabbed her wrists, pulling them away from him. "Don't…"

She gave him a confused look. "Why not?

She tried removing his shirt again, only for her to push her hands away once more. "Please, don't."

Gildii glared at him angrily. "Duggras, why won't you take off your shirt?"

Duggras began thinking of way to avoid the question, but was unable to find one. He sighed and pulled off his shirt. "Here…"

She grinned at him. "See? That wasn't so ha-…"

The Elf stopped when she looked at his chest, and he knew why. All over Duggras' torso and arms were scars, dozens of them. Some were short, thin and white, which wasn't much. But, the majority of them were very long, red, and jagged. They had never properly healed, causing them to appear angry, ugly, and painful. "Please stop staring."

Gildii quickly stood and took several steps back. She covered her mouth with her hand and asked, "Wh-what happened to you?"

Duggras rested his elbows on top of his knees and looked down at his feet. "I was attacked by sabrecats when I was younger. The wounds never healed properly. This is the result."

The bosmer girl quickly grabbed the key and ran to the door. As she unlocked it, she said, "I'm sorry, I'm going to go stay with Lebiné and Mjoll. I'll get my things in the morning."

She then dropped the key on the floor and closed the door behind her as she left. Duggras shut his eyes and tightly clenched his fists. "Every fucking time…"

* * *

**Sorry, no Duggras' journal this chapter. It's gonna be next chapter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Love you guys! As usual, please leave a review, favorite, follow, and tell your friends about me. It helps me a lot. I'm sorry that this is all I'll be posting this week, there's no Benevolence this week. I'm sorry, but there can't be due to story line interaction. I hope you guys understand. Peace out guys! **


	9. Break

**Hey guys, I'm so sorry about this but I can't post. I've got a lot going on right now and I just don't have the time to write. But, I promise that i'll post every day for about a week or so once I'm back. I'm really sorry. I love writing for you guys and it hurts to say this. I really hope you guys can forgive me. I love you guys!**


	10. Chapter 9: The Ebony Knight & Memories

_Tirdas, the 31st of Frostfall__Well, _

_I'm in a bad mood. It happened again last night. Another woman that I had fallen for ran at the sight of my scars. That's the fourth time this year. It feels worse every time. This time, as usual, hurt more than any of the others. I was really hoping that things would be different with Gildii, I really was. But, as usual, those hopes were dashed when my shirt came off. Will I ever learn? But, I mean, can you blame me? Is it too much to ask for a woman to be willing to look passed my scars and just want to be with me? Are appearances really that important? Apparently so. It's hard. It really is._

_Oh well. Lingering on it won't help. Best thing for me to do is just forget about it and move on. I talked with the crew this morning. Luckily, Gildii and I got a chance to talk alone. She told me that we shouldn't try romantic actions again, but she wants to still be on the team and be friends. Honestly, I'm fine with that. Anyway, as I was saying, I talked to the crew this morning about the budget problem. I told them the options Hulda gave me, as well as a few of my own. Rolan, Thadron, Qa'Nal, Tolan, and Mjoll, surprisingly, offered to chop wood all day today for Hulda. Thankfully, she had just enough axes for them. Gildii, Lebiné had the idea to go hunting on the planes outside of the city with Ethaso and Faldin. A smart idea, to be honest. Marcurio even took up some work at the local alchemy shop. Everyone is pitching in. Warms my heart to see that they're all so willing._

_I decided to head up to the Skyforge and work for Eorlund. I look forward to working with him. He pays well, and it's been a long time since I've seen him. After I finish work there, I'll ask him if he'll help me make all the gear I'll need for the group. When that's done, I'll go visit Tiris in Jorrvaskr, which is right next to the Skyforge, conveniently enough. Finally, I'll head to the inn, chop some wood for Hulda, and finish up with an interview.__That reminds me. We've only just arrived, but I've already received two applications from possible recruits. I like the look of them and can't wait to meet them. The first one I'm going to meet in a little while at the Drunken Huntsman. ill go there before heading to the Skyforge. But, what's strange is that one of them requested that I reserve the table in the back of the Bannered Mare. Strange. Even stranger is the seal on the bottom of the letter. It looks familiar, but I just can't put my finger on it. It looks like some kind of strange dog. It's not a wolf, but it looks strangely similar._

_Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me. After the interviews, I'm going right to bed. I'll have done a lot._

_I've got a busy schedule today. I hope I can handle it all. Wish me luck._

_Duggras_

_Note to self: Tell Lebiné to stop spying on me while I'm cleaning myself off at the washbasin._

_Note to self: Remember to bring list to Eorlund._

* * *

Duggras looked up at the sigh in front of him. "Across from Warmaiden's... Yeah, this looks like the place."

Duggras pushed open the doors and walked in. The room was small and cozy. In the center was a large fire put. To his left was a counter, and behind it an Elf man stood, polishing a bow. Across the room from him was a small coven where a table and two chairs were set up. In one of the chairs was a slender Dunmer woman dressed in leather armor. Sadly, she wasn't who he was her to meet.

From the counter, the Altmer man smiled and said, "Welcome to the Drunken Huntsman. Let me know if there is anything that I can help you with."

Duggras looked at him and walked up to the counter. "I'm here to meet someone. A Nord. He said that he'd be dressed in ebony armor and carrying a bow, a shield, and several blades."

The man nodded at him. "Yes, he said he'd be right back. He told me to clear the table for you two to talk."

He nodded at the Dunmer woman at the table and she quickly stood, leaving the shop.

Duggras dropped a few coins on the counter and walked over to the table, taking a seat. After several minutes of silence, the doors opened and in walked a large man that was dress in ebony armor, from head to toe. Duggras pulled off his own helmet and placed it on the table. He gestured to the seat across from him and said, "Take a seat. We have much to talk about."

He noted what the man carried. A dagger on his left hip, a sword on the other. On his back was a quiver filled with ebony arrows, a bow, and a shield. Everything made from ebony. He said in an almost angelic voice, deep and yet smooth, "Thank you for meeting me."

Duggras nodded at him as he sat down. "Well, I need as much help as I can get."

The Nord placed his helm down on the table, revealing his face. The man was pale. His hair was white, but he looked no older than Duggras. The man was significantly smaller than him, but larger than most. A scar stretched across his face, from his right temple to the left corner of his jaw. "The notice that you put up only said the pay. What exactly is this expedition you're going on?"

Duggras grinned at him. "Might I have your name first? Mine's Duggras."

The Nord straightened up in the chair. "Oh, pardon me. Where are my manners? Hello Duggras, my name is Soldin. But, my friends just call me Sol."

Duggras nodded. "A pleasure to meet you Soldin. As for what we're up against… Well, it's not the usual kind."

Soldin looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

Duggras looked him in the eyes. "Vampires."

Soldin chuckled at him. "That's funny. Really, what are we up against?"

Duggras stared at him with a blank expression.

After several moments of no words being spoken, Soldin's smile faded. "Y-you're serious? Vampires?"

He nodded. "Vampires. I'm not positive how many. But, I know it's going to be quite a few."

Soldin leaned back in his chair and stared at him. "I assume you've thought about the risk of vampirism."

He nodded. "I have necklaces ready that will protect my team against it."

Soldin smiled. "In that case… Where do I sign up?"

* * *

Duggras looked up at the sun as he sat on the well that sat in the middle of the market. "Looks like it's a little after noon."

He looked back over the crowed that was forming around him. He remembered that the market in Whiterun used to only have a few stalls and only a few people in it. Now, it seemed like there were dozens of stalls and people filling the small section of the city. Looking around, Duggras saw stalls that sold everything from fruits and vegetable to high grade weapons, which he made a mental note to go see later. The people in the square were just as diverse as the merchandise. After a quick count, he confirmed that there was one of every major race in Tamriel. The diversity astonished him. "I've never seen so many people of all the races getting along so well. Kinda makes me smile."

He then stood from his spot on the well and walked around it, heading for the stairs that lead out of the market. As he ascended the steps, a large pair of double doors opened from the house to his left. A few seconds later, and older Nord with long grey hair walked out. When he saw duggras, he smiled and said, "Well, I'll be damned. Little Duggras has come back to Whiterun."

Duggras grinned at him. "You remember me? How did you recognize me?"

The old man gestured for him to follow as he made his way across the square, passed the massive tree in the center. "Duggras, I've never seen anyone as freakishly large as you. That, and there's the fact that you look just like your grandfather."

Duggras eagerly followed him. "Wait, Eorlund, you knew my grandfather?"

Eorlund nodded. "Aye. I knew your father long before you were born. And his father even longer. Your family lived her for a few generations. Your grandfather was the first of you that I'd met."

Duggras smiled. "How've you been Eorlund?"

The elderly Nord shook his head. "Enough with the pleasantries, you oversized blockhead. Just get to the point of why you're here. You're here about the job, right? Need some extra gold for supplies for your little vampire hunting trip, eh?"

Duggras looked at him suspiciously. "How did you know all of that?"

Eorlund chuckled. "I may be old, lad, but my hearing hasn't failed me yet. You and your little friends are the talk of the town. It's hard for a small army to enter Whiterun and not be noticed."

Duggras took on a worried look. "What are people saying."

"That it's a suicide mission."

"Is that so?"

Eorlud nodded. When they finally reached the Skyforge. Eorlund looked at him and said, "Enough talk. Grab a hammer. We've got work to do."

* * *

**End of this chapter so you guys have more to look forward to. I think you'll love next chapter because the last person you'd expect comes. Thanks for reading. Make sure to review, favorite, follow, and tell your friends. PEACE! Also, I'm not officially back yet. I'll post when I can, but I can't promise much. It makes me feel bad that I can't post more often. Please don't be mad at me. I love you guys.**


	11. rebuild

**Hey guys. I know you've probably been wondering where I've been for such a long time. I miss writing for you guys so much.**

**I'm sorry I've been gone, but I've been way too busy to write. I'm the new technical director at my school, I've got a ton of homework, and I've been dealing with quite a few… personal problems.**

**Anyway, back to the point, the main reason I've been gone is because I'm reconstructing my stories. I'm pretty much starting over and rewriting everything. I'm not loving how it's developed so far, so I'm gonna try again. AND, I want YOU guys to help me. I want recommendations for what to happen in chapters, ideas for characters, storyline ideas, etc.**

**Not only that, I want ideas for other stories. Like games to write on, new ideas, that kind of stuff. PM me or leave a review or whatever. I've also set up an email. It's drew_ike_treboot at yahoo dot com**

**You can send your ideas and stuff there, too.**

**I'm gonna be honest with you guys. My depression's been hitting me like a fucking freight train lately. But, I'm slowly getting over it thanks to the help of my girlfriend and friends. Also, a quote my friend told me that she heard helped a lot. "Don't find your happiness, kick that bitch's door down and introduce yourself." That made me laugh and it helped a lot. I'm also struggling to help my girlfriend get over her anxiety problems. Her and school have to be my priority, so that's the main reason I'm taking so long to get back to you guys.**

**I already have two ideas for new stories and an idea for a new game to write about. You'll see those eventually. It'll take some time, but I'll be back eventually, better than before.**

**Also, seeing all the problems of people around me, want to help. So if any of you need someone to talk to about ANYTHING, feel free to email me. I love to help others and make them smile. So if you guys help me, that's great, but no matter what, I'll help you guys if I can.**

**Well, with that, I'm done until the new chapter 1 of Benevolence comes out. Until then, here's a dancing Kirby.**

**('o') (^'.'^) ('o') (^'.'^) ('o') (^'.'^) ('o')**

**I hope you enjoyed that. Goodbye. See you all soon, and I hope to hear from you even sooner… Is that a word?**


End file.
